Sometimes getting dressed in the morning feels like an uphill climb. If you know your shape and how to accentuate your curves, that’s half the battle. Today, we’re talking to all the pear-shaped women out there. But what the heck does “pear-shaped” actually mean? Typically, when you’re pear-shaped, the widest point on your body is your hips. You have a defined waistline and your shoulders and bustline are usually smaller than your bottom half, where you carry your curves. Celebrities like Shakira, Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez, Alicia Keys and Rihanna are often labeled in this category. Women come in all shapes and sizes, however, even within a single body type. You can be pear-shaped and be short or tall, you can be a size 2 or a size 12 and you can have flat glutes or an ample backside.

The important thing to remember here is that no one body shape is better than the other. This isn’t a style guide on how to hide your shape or how to fake a different one with gimmicks like padded bras. It’s about loving your body and celebrating it with the best fit and proportions for you. In the slideshow below, you’ll find styling tips broken down into three key categories: tops and trousers, dresses and skirts and outerwear. These tips are by no means hard-and-fast rules; they’re helpful suggestions to hopefully make your life a little bit easier when you find yourself in a dressing room with a heap of clothes and a whole lot of frustration. Because we’ve all been there at one time or another. Ready to get started?

Maria Denardo is the Fashion Director at theFashionSpot. Prior to joining tFS, she worked as the Site Director at Lifestyle Mirror and the Senior Fashion Editor at Fashion Week Daily. Her "unhealthy attachment" to hats led her to the halls of FIT, where she's currently completing her millinery certification. She proves that turbans never, ever go out of style.